I just spoke with Mike Beavers, aka. AR-HICK. He said that the storm actually went north of Morrilton and south of Center Ridge. He did not receive any damage and he did not believe that any of the local cachers were affected. However, his mother's home was completely destroyed and his sister's home received major damage. I believe that there was at least two fatalities associated with this storm. My thoughts and prayers are with all who were affected.

AR-HICK

05-02-2008, 06:20 PM

I would just like to thank everyone who has called me and offered there help. I have been overwhelmed by what has happened. I spent today going thru what is left of my mom’s home. I am so glad and thankful that it was not any worse. On my way to Center Ridge I met an ambulance and I was scared some of my family was in it, I was fortunate they were all safe.
I am going back in the morning to do it again. If you would like to help my family and I would appreciate it. I will be at the posted coordinates at 8 am:
North 35 20.150
West 92 33.933
I am going to be picking up anything that can be salvaged and if you would like to help you can. You will be welcome. Just in case you have any trouble with the police here are my family names and tell them you are helping us:

Mike Beavers 501.208.3354
Virginia Beavers
John and Michelle Hart

The command center for emergency services is very close to:
N 35° 19.814
W 092° 33.722
They may tell you of other places that you could help.

Thank goodness it isn’t any worse.

RugerPilot345

05-03-2008, 08:24 AM

WOW Mike that is terrible, wish I could be there and offer some help but I am on hitch down in the Gulf....seems like every time I am on hitch the storms hit home......it is so hard being down here when terrible weather is hitting Arkansas......my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family!!

Joe (RP345)

AR-HICK

05-03-2008, 06:04 PM

MANY, MANY THANKS! From my family and myself. I was fortunate to be helped by my friends. This has been a difficult time and with friends to help it was a lot easier.
Thanks Gaddiel, Woodwalker, Topkitty, Cachemates and RKLMBL.
Ya'll helped us in our time of need

Thanks Again, Your Help is Very APPPRECIATED!
I have seen all of an upside down world I want to for a while.

QuartzCachers

05-03-2008, 08:32 PM

Mike, I am sorry I completely missed this thread yesterday. It is 9:30 P.M. Saturday, and this is the first I've heard of this. I would still like to lend a hand, if possible. Can I do something to help?

Bruce

Q

05-05-2008, 09:38 AM

Prayers. Praise the Lord not more life was lost. This same storm went thru my back yard. I hurried home, checked my house and the parent's. All was ok. Trees down all over. I went up the road with tractor and chainsaw to help and learned that one of the 4 houses there that were completly gone had 3 occupants that were not so fortunate. I cleared a quarter mile of road and stopped at some electric wires.

Back at home later I found our damage was to trees and pastures. Hard to feel despair at this loss when pieces of other's homes were in my fields. Lord give them strength.

cachemates

05-05-2008, 08:03 PM

I have seen what a tornado can do from tv and from driving by but this was my first experience of up close and in the middle of where it had been. It was hard for me to get past the Oh My Goodness stage. What I saw was just unbelievable. Here scattered in the trees and on the ground was just a few minutes ago a real person's home. now it was nothing but rubble and twisted metal. I was glad to be able to help Mike AR-HICK go through this twisted mess and salvage a few (might Few) of his mother things.
Here was a home that took a lifetime to build and only took seconds or minutes to destroy. It was a very sad sight. Mike I hope things are coming together for you, your mother and your sister. I feel for all the others around this comminuty and around the state that these tornados affected.
I took a few pictures and my camera died on me. When you need them the most that is when Murphy's Law kicks in.
These photos are not Geezer Veazey quality but they will have to do.http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/1945Jero/100_1669.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/1945Jero/100_1667.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c34/1945Jero/000_0001.jpg

AR-HICK

05-05-2008, 10:43 PM

Thanks to everyone who helped. Here are a few more Pictures. Sorry for the quialty and you might not be able to tell much, I was in shock.
This is from where Moms home WAS.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/tornado/Tornando08032.jpg
My Sister's Car
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/tornado/Tornando08044.jpg
The Safe Place! This is where they rode out the Tornado.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/tornado/Tornando08053.jpg
Where everything else wound up.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/tornado/Tornando08068.jpg
A good place for a CITO.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk19/AR-HICK/tornado/Tornando08059.jpg
This was a lot closer than I ever wanted to be to a Tornado.

Team Panda

05-07-2008, 06:53 PM

Holy crap, Mike, I just now saw this! Thank God everyone's okay!

topkitty98

05-07-2008, 07:31 PM

If you have to do your own clearing, Mike, let us know. I can't run it, but we own a chain saw. I'll bet I can set a fire pretty good too.

AR-HICK

05-08-2008, 09:52 AM

For anyone who would like to make a donation to help the victims of the May 2, 2008 Center Ridge tornado.